Effects of the cultivation of genetically modified Bt crops on nontarget soil organisms - Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems - page 194

Table 8.7 Summary of the Effects of the Cultivation of Bt Crops or Amendment with Bt Protein on Earthworms

Bt crop plant/experimental
variable

Organism/activity tested Study location Protein Effect on organism(s) Source

Eisenia fetida Laboratory Soil amended with biomass of

Bt and non- Bt maize

Cry1Ab No effect on mortality and weight Ahl Goy et al.

(1995)

Lumbricus terrestris Laboratory Soil amended with biomass of

Bt and non- Bt maize
Soil cultivated with Bt and
non- Bt maize

Cry1Ab No difference in mortality and

weight in soil amended with or
cultivated with Bt maize

Saxena and
Stotzky
(2001a)

L. terrestris Laboratory

Field

Soil amended with biomass of
Bt and non- Bt maize

Cry1Ab Significant weight loss of worms

fed Bt biomass in laboratory
trials
No difference in mortality and
weight in the field

Zwahlen,
Hilbeck,
Howald, et
al. (2003)

Oligochaeta Field Split plots cultivated with Bt

maize (Event MON 863) and
non- Bt maize (RX670)

Cry3Bb1 Bt maize had no consistent

negative impact on abundance

Bhatti et al.
(2005)

L. terrestris Greenhouse Soil containing Bt and non- Bt

maize roots or dried biomass

Cry3Bb1 No difference in weight or

mortality of L. terrestris in soil
planted with or amended with
Bt and non- Bt maize

Ahmad et al.
(2006)

Lang et al.
(2006)

Lumbriciadae
community

Field Cultivation of Bt and non- Bt

maize; cultivation of maize
treated with insecticide and
untreated maize

Cry1Ab No effect of Cry protein on worm

numbers in soil planted with Bt
and non- Bt maize or in soil with
maize treated with insecticide

E. fetida Laboratory Fed leaves of Bt and non- Bt

maize

Cry1Ab No negative effects on survival or

reproduction

Clark and
Coats (2006)

Aporrectodea caliginosa Laboratory Soil amended with leaves of

Bt and non- Bt maize
Soil cultivated with Bt maize

Cry1Ab No effect on survival,

development, growth, or
reproduction

Vercesi et al.
(2006)

(continued)